Between The Lines
by KayLyn666
Summary: Continuing 6 years after the end of "The Outbreak" Daryl, Judith, and Lucy, along with two wolves the girls had befriended, will face new challenges, as the supplies they once took for granted, begin to diminish. With supplies and shelter being so limited, how will this unlikely trio find refuge from the Walkers, and mankind itself?
1. Prologue

_I'm starting this journal so that the people of the future know our story. So they know what we went through in the years following the Outbreak. Because if someone doesn't write it down, no one is going to know. _

_Daryl taught me how to write these last couple months. He says I'm getting better at it everyday. So I'm going to write it all down, for the world to see. _

_My name is Lucy Marie Smith. I don't know how Daryl remembered my middle name after all these years, but he did. He only calls me by my full name when I'm in trouble. I'm 9 years old and living through the Zombie Apocalypse. My mother and father were killed 6 years ago, along with my older brother, my dog, and all of our friends and family. Except Daryl and Judith. Daryl is the only dad I really remember. And Judy is the little sister I never had. _

_Judith is 6. She's a sweet, short girl with long, dark brown hair and dancing, bright brown eyes. She's kind. Gentle too. She loves to help wherever she can. And she's tough. She gets it from Daryl. We both do. _

_Daryl…well he's a mean, strong man who doesn't mind telling you how it is. He's always carrying his crossbow and he never misses a shot. He's always telling us to be careful and to keep up. He doesn't slow down for no one. _

_We've been running for the last 6 years. Avoiding the Walkers, finding shelter, and making our own food and clothing. The three of us, and the two young wolves Judy found last spring. The five of us are a little family, out here in the woods, just trying to survive. _

_The Walkers are starting to pop up again. Not as many as before, but more than there have been these last two or so years. They come in random bursts. They're __unpredicteble __unpredictable. _

_Now, you'll get to hear our story. One day at a time._

_Yours truly,  
Lucy_

* * *

"Lucy, put that damn thing away," Daryl grunted from where he stood, just outside of our tent. I tucked the ratty, dirty journal deep in my small knapsack and quickly pulled on my way too big boots. After tying the laces around my ankles, to keep them from sliding off, I pulled the thick deer-hide blanket around my thin shoulders, tying it in the front.

It was a cold winter morning, and I knew Daryl wanted to find somewhere warmer to hold up. Even though we often slept in the van when it was cold, we tried not to waste the gas on heating it all night. Instead, we all pile into the tent, Judith between Daryl and I, the two wolves at our sides. The thick deer-hide blanket served as a blanket and a coat, as well as a wind breaker, a pillow, just about anything. It was starting to thin, but it was still warmer than nothing.

Judith was already outside, her little body clad in my old jacket and jeans. Her hands were buried deep in her pockets, and from the pink tone to her cheeks, I knew she had been awake for a long time.

"Come here Judy," I said brightly. She rushed over, clinging to my warmth.

"We're moving on today," Daryl informed us. We both nodded. The wolves ran over to me, their wet noses sending a chill up my spine. Carly, the smaller, dark furred female had a thin, stringy rabbit in her mouth.

"Carly brought back breakfast," I told Daryl. He nodded once and looked over at the dead fire. It snowed that night, so the grass was cold and crunchy. "I'll go get some wood," I added as an afterthought. I took off the deer-hide and wrapped it carefully around Judy's shoulders. It was too long for her, but it would keep her warm, and since the ends were frayed already, I didn't care too much. I tucked the ends and secured them with a pin I'd had for the longest time, before grabbing the long, leather like lead I used whenever I went out to get wood. I quickly tied one end to Darry's collar, and tied the other end to my waist.

I quickly ran towards the trees, the cold giving me enough motivation to move quickly. Darry followed close behind, his tail held high. I watched him for a moment as he sniffed the air, his ears perked. Once he relaxed, I carried on, picking up small twigs to use as kindling, before moving onto the downed tree we'd been using for larger pieces of wood. Once I piled the wood up neatly, I untied my end of the lead and quickly tied the knot Daryl had taught me, securing the wood to the lead, before giving Darry a quick slap on the rump. He pulled forward, pulling the pile of wood along with him.

It was funny to watch a wild dog do simple tasks, but the wolves were good. They carried their weight as well as the rest of us. While I was following behind, something to my left caught my eye. I whistled once, signaling Darry to halt. He stopped and looked at me expectantly. I walked over to a small bush, my fingers reaching for a piece of cloth that was caught in its branches. I looked at the cloth for a moment, and then felt a chill run up my spine. With the cloth clutched in one hand, my other reaching for the small knife I always carried, I scanned the clearing, looking for any sign of danger.

Darry's low growl made me snap into action. I had always been quick on my feet, but the snow slowed me down. I had to be extra careful not to get tripped up as I jumped over the fallen trees, the twigs and the roots.

"Pack up!" I hissed loudly as soon as I broke the trees. Daryl looked at me once, then began throwing our things into the van, no questions asked. I made quick work of the knots, before tossing the lead aside. I'd retrieve it after everything else was packed. I quickly went over to our bags and began dragging them over to the van, my heart racing in my chest.

"Don't panic," Daryl hissed as he came up beside me, helping me with the heaviest of the bags. "Get Judith strapped in the van and get the wolves inside, then grab as much of the wood as you can. We'll beat them out of here. Don't worry," he said calmly. I nodded once, then did as he said, scooping Judith up in my arms.

"What's wrong?" she asked innocently.

"Walkers are coming," I said calmly. "We'll be outta here long 'fore they catch us though," I added. She nodded and crawled into the van, her small fingers fumbling with the seatbelt. I snapped her in, before leading both wolves over to the van.

"In," I ordered. They jumped up, both baring their fangs. Their fur stood on end, and by the way that Darry was snarling and growling, I knew they were fast approaching.

"Daryl!" I hissed urgently. I could see the first of them breaking the trees.

"In, now!" he said quickly, coming up beside me, carrying the last of our supplies. He threw them in the van before shoving me in, slamming the door behind me.

He was behind the wheel a moment later. The van stalled once, then turned over, roaring to life. We hit the road moments later, and as soon as we pulled off, I felt a sense of relief. Carly laid her head across Judith's lap, her tail wagging slowly. Darry looked out the window, his flake relaxing the farther away we got.

"Remember, Lucy, the woods are never safe, the key is to stay calm," Daryl said for the millionth time.

"I know," I said with a nod. I looked back at Judith, who was hugging Carly to her chest. "You good, kiddo?"

"Lil' Ass Kicker over there is always good," Daryl said fondly. I smiled at his petname for her. Judy beamed brightly, her eyes dancing with excitement.

Sometimes, just sometimes, I'd kill for her innocence. Daryl had done good at protecting us, but I'd seen a lot more than Judith had. I had to fight for my life before. She still had that childlike innocence. Something I could never get back.

_There are very few close calls now that we're older. Daryl knows we can carry ourselves well, even under pressure. But I could tell he was worried. Something was bothering him that day. I wish I knew what._

* * *

A/n - Continuing 6 years after the end of "The Outbreak" Daryl, Judith, and Lucy, along with two wolves the girls had befriended, will face new challenges, as the supplies they once took for granted, begin to diminish. With supplies and shelter being so limited, how will this unlikely trio find refuge from the Walkers, and mankind itself? Join them, as they travel across the country, looking for anything that could keep them alive.


	2. Chapter 1

We drove until the sun was high in the sky, the snow almost completely melted. Daryl had spotted a small cabin tucked nicely into the woods, and after circling the area for about an hour, he decided it was better than nothing.

Once he stepped out of the van, I turned around and opened the back door, letting the wolves out before Judith and I followed. Normally, Daryl would scope the area out before either of us were free to follow, but we both had to pee, and rather than hold it any longer, we eagerly made a beeline for a nearby bush.

"Better?" I asked Judith moments later. She was struggling to fasten the button to her jeans, so with one hand, I quickly did it for her.

"Yeah!" she said with a huge sigh of relief that brought a smile to my lips. She took my hand, her tiny fingers as cold as ice against the warmth of my own hands. I led the way back to the van, where we waited for Daryl to give us the all clear.

"The cabin's empty. I checked every corner, you guys can go in," he said as he came outside a few moments later. "But be careful. There's a lot of debris around."

I nodded and led Judith inside. The air was stale and cold, but it was shelter, the first real shelter we had had in a very long time. There was a fireplace in the middle of the living room, so I set to work right away, clearing away the old charcoal and ash, before putting a few of the dry logs inside. I was surprised to find the pile of wood next to the fireplace, but decided to overlook it.

It took me a few tries before I managed to get the fire lit, but once it was, Judith and I clang to one another, waiting for the warmth to fill our veins. The sound of claws hitting wood made me look up, only to see Darry running inside, mud covering his paws.

"Hey," I laughed, telling him to sit. He skidded to a stop, his tag thumping lightly against the floor. I walked over to him and used the old, ratty bandana Daryl had given me years ago to wipe the mud off his feet. I don't know why I bothered, but it felt like something my mama would have done.

"Lucy!" Judith wailed. I looked up instantly, my heart jumping in my throat. Judith was standing by the fire, looking a little paler than normal.

"What's wrong Jude?" I asked. I tucked the bandana back into my pocket before going over to her.

"I'm cold!" she said innocently.

"Wait till Daryl gets in here, then I'll try to fish out the old quilt from the bottom of the food bin," I said softly. I pulled her close, rubbing my hands up and down her arms to warm her up and bit.

"But Daryl's gonna take forever!" she wailed.

"Fine, then stay here with Darry, okay?" I said, tapping my leg so the wolf would come over. He did instantly, his wail wagging back and forth. "Don't move from this spot, ya hear?"

"Yes ma'am," she said, her eyes shining in the dim light. I gave her a quick kiss on the head, before turning as quickly as possible, making my way back through the old, squeaky door. I ran to the van, the cold air chilling me as soon as it hit my skin. I was about to jump in the van, when I noticed Daryl staring off into the distance, his face masking all emotion.

"Daryl, you good?" I asked, carefully coming up beside him. The last thing I wanted was the spook him. But it took a lot of spook Daryl.

He said nothing, didn't even look down at me like he normally did. I sighed, weighing my options, before reaching for his hand. His skin was ice cold to the touch.

"Daryl, go inside. I'll bring in the bags," I said softly. He didn't move. "Earth to Daryl, do you read?"

"Huh?" he blinked, looking down at me. I smiled up at him, fighting back a laugh.

"Someone's spacey," I joked. Daryl snarled at me, before asking what I wanted.

"You good?" I asked softly. I knew better than to pry. But something was definitely bothering Daryl.

"Yeah. Where's Jude?" he asked.

"Inside. She's freezing. It's gonna take a few hours to kill the chill in there. It's drafty. Where's Carly?" I asked.

"She ran off into the woods. Probably caught wind of a rat or something," he shrugged. "You getting the bin?"

"No, just lookin' for the quilt. Figured it'd keep Judith warm until the fire kicks up the heat. You need me to get anything?" I replied.

"Bring in the bags and the cans if you can carry 'em," he nodded. He turned to walk away, but I grabbed his arm before he could.

"You know, I might be jus' a kid an' all, but you can talk to me if somethin's wrong," I said softly. Gently.

"Nothing's wrong, Lucy, stop pestering me," he said harshly. His tone hit me like a ton of bricks. I nodded once, then turned on my heel, practically running to the van. I slammed the door shut behind me, not even caring how it must've seemed to him.

See, Daryl tried his best not to snap at me and Jude. Actually, he never snapped at Jude. Maybe once or twice when she did something that really put our lives at risk, but other than that, he was sweet to her. Me on the other hand, I got snapped at a lot. Actually, half the time it's for being helpful. But it didn't bother me. Because Daryl saved us. He fought his butt off to keep us alive. That's more than anyone else ever did for us.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I dug through the bin of canned goods. We were down to the last of the beans and soups. But we'd find more. We normally did. I found the quilt, and after carefully pulling it free, I wrapped up a few cans of beans and soup in it, before pushing our bags to the front of the van. When I opened the door, Daryl damn neared scared me to death.

"I'm sorry, kiddo," he said softly. He forced a smile. It didn't reach his eyes. I nodded once and handed him his bag.

"Don't say sorry," I said shortly. "I get it, you don't wanna talk 'bout whatever it is that's eatin' you up inside."

"That's not it, kid," he said softly. Carefully. "You're too young to understand it," he said honestly.

"I might be young, but I ain't dumb," I said stubbornly, pushing him out of my way. "Come inside, so Judith isn't 'fraid, okay?"

"Sure," he said softly. I knew my attitude made him sad, but I didn't care. I was cold, tired, and quite frankly, I wasn't feeling too great. Eating half spoiled beans and god only knows what kind of meat was really gettin' to me. And running 'round scared all the time didn't help either.

"You still got your mama's bag?" Daryl asked as he followed close behind me.

I turned around, caught off guard. Daryl hasn't asked about my mama's stuff in a long time. Not for the last year or two at least.

"Uh, yeah, it's in my bag, why?" I asked slowly.

"'Cause I wanna see that book of hers," he said, coming up beside me. "The one you never look at."

"Her journal? Why?" I practically screamed.

"Because, there's somethin' I gotta know," he said lightly.

"No," I said softly. "No, that ain't fair to my mama."

"Shoot, it ain't what you think, kid. I need to see somethin' else," he said with a tight smile. "There's something she wasn't telling us the day she took off to get supplies…"

"You mean the day she died," I said coldly. "Whatever it is, it ain't important. My mama died that day, and I really don't want no one knowing what went on those last few moments."

"Lucy," Daryl said, his patience wearing thin.

"Daryl," I retorted with the same attitude.

"Lucy Marie, you're gonna do as I say, you hear? Now, when we get inside, you're handing that damn book over, whether you want to or not!" he snapped.

Tears welled in my eyes. I didn't understand why he was so damn determined to read my mama's journal. Whatever he thought it said…It must've been important.

_I wanted to hate him. I wanted to be mad. But I couldn't. Daryl choose to save us, all those years ago. No one said he had to. He coulda took Carol or Glenn or Beth. Instead, he fought to keep me and Jude alive. How do you hate someone that sacrificed so much just to keep you alive?_

_Simple. You don't._

* * *

_A/n - For those of you who haven't read "The Outbreak" you're going to be a little behind for these next few chapters. The last half of "TO" gives you a little bit of foreshadowing for this story. :)_

_I want to thank those who have stuck with me, through TO and now onto BTL! You have no idea how rewarding it is to come on here and read your responses after a long day at work! I promise, this story in particular is going to be my baby, because it doesn't have to follow any real canon, plus, with new characters, Daryl being older, Judith being old enough to talk - it gives me so much more freedom, which I love! _

_Keep reading, and stay beautiful, loves! _


	3. Chapter 2

I didn't want to give Daryl the bag. I didn't want him to see whatever my mother had left behind. Shoot, I hadn't even looked through it myself, in all these years. I'd left it just as she did, untouched and unaltered. But Daryl had insisted that he saw what was inside, so reluctantly, I handed it over.

As soon as I did, Daryl left the room, leaving only his worn out leather jacket for Judy and me to wrap up in. I pulled her close and draped it over her thin body.

"You're shivering," I noted, pulling her as close as humanly possible.

"I'm sleepy," she said softly. I kissed her head and leaned back, providing a pillow for her. She laid her head on my chest, her thick hair feathering out like a silk sheet.

"Get some sleep, ass-kicker," I said tenderly.

"Can you sing me that lullaby?" she asked innocently. I knew which one she was referring to. It was one my mama, and later, Daryl, used to sing whenever me or Jude weren't feeling well. I knew that her demand to hear it meant she was feeling low.

"Sure thing," I said softly, before beginning to hum the simple, sweet tune.

"Wish upon a shooting star,  
For better days to come,  
Little ones from long before,  
The laughter ceased to swell,

Bring not the fear of times now gone,  
But joy and peace and love,  
And know that thou are not alone,  
For they watch from up above.

Sleep my sweetest flower,  
For dawn is soon to come,  
And listen as the world goes soft,  
The snow, the peace, the love."

By the time I finished the simple song, Judith was soundly asleep in my lap. I carefully moved her, so that she was laying down, her head propped on the quilt, Daryl's jacket providing a soft, warm blanket for her. She looked so peaceful as she slept. So innocent.

I threw a few more logs on the fire before cracking open a can of beans and dumping them into our rusty, old pot. I added a bottle of water to thin them out before adding a few chunks of squirrel into the mix. I carefully positioned the pot over the fire before turning my attention to the wolves. When Carly had finally made her way back to us, she had been limping badly. I took the time to inspect the wound, and settled that she must have been bitten by the raccoon she brought back with her. Thankfully, rabies was the least of our worries these days. She was lying quietly in front of the fire, even as I poured the old, half stale liquor over the wound. She only whined softly once. After I tied a strip of cloth around the wound, she settled back in, her tailing thumping every few minutes.

I took a moment to survey the room. It would have been a nice living room, had nature not taken its course on the interior. There was mold and dirt on the walls, rain rot on the floor, and the windows were caked with a yucky film, but overall, it was better than most of the places we'd been staying.

I paced the room, feeling restless, as the beans and meat cooked over the fire. The aroma filled my nose, making my stomach gurgle. I decided after the meal was cooked, to go fetch Daryl, who was only a room or two away. I stirred the pot, satisfied by the outcome, before stealing a glance at Judith, who was sleeping soundly, her hands twisted into the sleeve of Daryl's coat. I smiled to myself before starting off to find Daryl.

I found him in what used to be a kitchen, his face pale, his eyes teary.

"What's wrong?" I asked softly, coming over to his side. Daryl looked at me for a moment, before handing me my mother's journal. Tucked between the last pages of the old, ratty notebook was a letter addressed to me. "Did you read it?" I asked harshly.

"Yeah," he said honestly, his voice cracking. I pulled the letter from the book and opened it quickly. The pages were yellowed from time, but were still crisp and readable. I took a deep breath, before reading the letter.

_To my dearest Lucy Marie,  
If you're reading this, then I didn't make it. For that, I am sorry. But listen to me, beautiful. There's a lot you need to know. _

_First off, your father, brother and I loved you more than anything in the world. Never, ever forget that. You are our angel, regardless of what happens. You will always be our sweet, sweet angel._

_The night I went for supplies…tonight, I suppose, you need to know that it had nothing to do with you or the group or your brother. Deep down, I knew I was going to die. I just knew it. But listen to me, this is important. Your brother stumbled upon some interesting information, something you, and everyone else really need to know. If anyone's still alive, that is…_

_The virus, that's what the outbreak is, is contagious, but we already knew that. We already knew that it was airborne and spit-borne. We already knew what it meant. But here's what we didn't know. We didn't know that it was man-made. It was supposed to be used as a form of warfare with Korea and Cuba. It was never supposed to reach the general public, but someone, someone we all know, screwed that up. _

"_The Governor" released it into the public one night, in one of his drunken fits. Yes, you read that correctly. He and he alone is to blame for this. He's dead now, just so you know. But he did this. But there's more. And this bit is very important. _

_Animals carry it too. Raw meat. Don't eat raw meat. But you should know that anyway. Heaven bidding, Daryl's still alive and has been feeding you cooked meat. For crying out loud, I'd like to think the man is smart enough to do that. _

_But don't let the dog eat it either. Wait, Mayhem's dead, so that isn't an issue. Boil the water too, to be safe. _

_Now listen, at the CDC, not that that's still standing anymore, but still, they were working towards a cure of sorts. But they never discovered it. But the Governor was trying to find a cure too. And he got pretty damn close. Don't ask me why he chose to look for a cure after he did this to our world, but he was. Maybe someone close to him was affected. Who knows? Anyway, if you make it back to Woodbury, you'll be able to find his notes. That's what your brother discovered. His notes. But they are coded, so I can't make head or tail of them, and even if I could, it wouldn't matter, because I lost them when I got attacked. Sorry. Or maybe he took them. I don't know. _

_Anyway, listen to me child, there is a cure out there. If anyone can find it, it's you. I believe in you, my little precious angel. _

_Tell the group I'm sorry. Tell them to be strong. Tell Daryl to keep his head up and keep you kids safe. Because he's the only one who has the balls to do it. He's the only one with the will to actually try. _

_Send my love to Carol and Beth, Maggie, Glenn, Hershel. Especially Andrea and Michonne. Without them, I'd have died long ago. And tell baby Judith to be brave. She's got spunk, that little girl. You be good to her, you hear? I love you all so much, and I'm so sorry it ended like this._

_Forever and always,  
Your mama. _

The letter fell from my hands as the room began to spin. I felt strong hands come up behind me, gently pushing me to the floor, shoving my head between my knees. I felt sick and sad and happy all at the same time. Suddenly the wind seemed to be knocked out of me, leaving me breathless and weak. Daryl's strong hand rubbed small circles in my back, his tone gentle as he repeated over and over for me to breathe. But I couldn't get enough air. My chest felt tight and every breath felt like it took way too much effort.

I tried to look up, but it did no good. The room spun wildly around me, and before I knew it, I was dry heaving. Daryl wrapped a protective arm around me, continuing to soothe me the only way he knew how.

Eventually my heart stopped racing just as the tears began to pour from my face. I leaned into Daryl's arms, and for the millionth time in the six years since my mama's death, I cried into his chest, relying on him and him alone, to keep me safe, alive, and protected.

Because after all, like my mama said, he's the only one who can.


End file.
